CIRCUS DAYS 29 



and who has no consideration for them may start 

 trouble that will end in an uprising. The trouble 

 generally comes from a lack of regard for the 

 native's feeling for his women. Though the Malays 

 live a fairly loose life, they resent having a white 

 man take their women and they generally vent 

 their displeasure in murder. That, of course, means 

 a government investigation, with ill-feeling rising 

 on both sides. To the Dutch Resident I explained 

 my purpose in wishing to live in the Malay quarter 

 with the hadji, and he gave me permission, warning 

 me that it would be revoked at the least sign of 

 trouble. 



Thereupon, with the hadji leading, I took my be- 

 longings to his house and settled down to become 

 acquainted with the people. They regarded me cu- 

 riously, but when the hadji introduced me by saying 

 "E-tu-twan banyar bye. Dare be-tole (This man 

 is very good. He is true)," they accepted me with- 

 out question. The word of a man who has made 

 a pilgrimage to Mecca is not to be doubted and my 

 dispute with Mahommed Ariff was told and retold 

 until it became a wonderfully exaggerated legend 

 with me as the hero. They disliked Ariff because 

 he was forever swindling them when they captured 

 animals. 



It is not difficult to win the friendship of the 

 natives, if you know how to treat them. If they 

 like you, they become doglike in their devotion ; they 

 will do anything you tell them to do and believe 



